Spiritual enlightenment is not the same as spiritual growth

1 Peter 2:1-5
1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 5:12-14
12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again the oracles of God: and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
• Spiritual immaturity is the lack of complete spiritual growth, development, and understanding of one’s faith in Jesus and in one’s relationship with Christ.
• It also means being unable to live a life and lifestyle that is true to the faith of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, how to handle the things of God with ease for His pleasure in peace; or consider the spiritual consequences of one’s actions toward the cleansing processing of the Spirit of God and His Word.
• Spiritually immature believers will often have a difficulty digesting the strong meat of the Word to understand God’s Will, His plan, and the need for resisting temptations and sin that is housed in the flesh.
• The scripture in Hebrews 5:14 says “even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil”.
• Many believers don’t have spiritual discernment, not less only have had their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
• When truly born-again your 5-senses are heightened to a spiritual level to be trained in use to distinguish between good and evil; good and truth in and through the various systems designed by ungodly men and women.
• When truly born-again your 5-senses are heightened to become your spiritual faculties being trained and disciplined by the Spirit of God, His Word, and spiritual practices.
• Spiritual maturity comes through the effort and experiences of the developing of your faith (that measure dealt to you) being put into use in and through Christ Jesus and His Will.
• For example, hearing the Word of God with wisdom applied you will know the difference between truthful spiritual teachings and worldly, carnal, false teachings is your spiritual faculties being trained by spiritual practices.
• Many believers are spiritually immature with a childlikeness still for the worldly things that gravitate to the flesh and its lust with no spiritual desires for the things of God and His righteousness.
• For example, a sure sign of spiritual immaturity is the strife and contention between the believers (brothers and sisters) that are professing to be new creatures in Christ, born-again of the water and of the Spirit.
• These are they that have been spiritually enlightened but are not spiritually growing in the faith of Jesus Christ and His transforming power.
• Leaders place spiritual babes in positions or duties to operate in spiritual leadership that have difficulty digesting some of the milk of the Word and not to mention the meat of the Word.
• A spiritual babe acts just like a human baby by being selfish, self-centered, impatient, helpless, winning, fussy, crying, complaining a lot, and when others are around always wanting what others have or are doing because they think they can do what others do.
Marks of spiritual maturity.
• In spiritual maturity one is always pressing forward in the things of God, not competing with others due to jealousy, envy, and strife, but practicing love and allowing love and wisdom to respond to all situations, circumstances, and issues of the hearts of the believers.
Philippians 3:12-14 12 Not as though I have already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
• In spiritual maturity one spiritually strives for the things of the Spirit of God and not to look on one to another fleshly to lust after or compete with for the Spirit of God through the flesh.
• In spiritual maturity one understands their spiritual calling that is leading them into their spiritual knowledge and understanding of the Will and plan of God for their life in earth which will cause them to seek the Lord God and strive in Him for His Will to be done.
• The first mark of true spiritual maturity is to be perfected in love and continue to abound in the love of Christ toward all.
St Matthew 22:37-40 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
• Spiritual maturity is to reflect daily the attributes of Jesus Christ, His character found in Galatians 5:21-23, the fruit of the Spirit
• 5.22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 5.23 meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
• NO law of the flesh and its works can come against the fruit of the Spirit and NOT encounter the Spirit of God and His Will for you.

Spiritual enlightenment
• Spiritual enlightenment is a profound state of awareness and understanding that transcends ordinary consciousness.
• Spiritual enlightenment goes above your 5-senses and its knowledge in good and evil.
• It enables you through your choices to realize your true nature to be set you free from the illusions and delusions of sin and its bondage that once had you blinded as you began to experience unity with the Spirit of God through His Son Jesus.
• Spiritual enlightenment is an action or state of attaining or having attained spiritual knowledge or insight. Also get wisdom and understanding here!
• Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
• Wisdom is the application or applicator to your knowledge and understanding.
• The intellectual and moral effect perceived from being spiritually enlightened will produce upon a believer the reception of the Spirit of God and His knowledge of Himself being revealed to their understanding.
• It is not a mere intellectual illumination or understanding of divine truth, for this spiritual insight manifests itself in ethical action. Ethical actions are actions that follow moral principles and standards set by the Word of God and His Kingdom. This involves knowing right from wrong and doing what is right, regardless of recognition of reward,
• Illumination of the mind through the Word of God.
• Illumination in a spiritual sense as is “turning on the light of understanding”.
• Illuminate means to make something visible or bright by shining light on it; light it up; help to clarify or explain.
• Spiritual enlightening is the Spirit of God bringing about a divine understanding through His Word to renew your spiritual heart, mind, and awakened soul to His Will.
• The Spirit of God’s Word must renew, not refresh or restore your spirituality, but renew your spirit being from the bondage and enslavement that sin has caused and that we were born in.
• EXCEPT the Spirit of the Word of God heard frees you spiritually you won’t be made free from sin, death, its penalties, and consequences.
Psalm 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
Proverbs 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
2 Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
• Sin mars intellectual discernment meaning that sin affects our ability to perceive and understand the spiritual things of God.
Sinful actions and attitudes will cloud the spiritual judgment and hinder your capacity to become wise and an insightful thinker.
• We must learn to seek spiritual enlightenment and its clarity through faith, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.
• Psalm 19:7-9 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
• Being spiritually enlightened signifies giving light, to shine.
• The Light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ gives to your spirit being the Light of Life.
Ephesians 1:18-19 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power,
St John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Spiritual growth
• Spiritual growth connects you to the Source of your spirit being whereas spiritual enlightenment connects to the physical world, other human beings, living beings, and the natural world surrounding you with the revelation of God’s power to enable you to realize that there is more to this portrait we are born in.
• Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
• When we allow the Spirit of God to grow us spiritually, we are without excuses and ignorance.
• The Spirit of God cannot strive with the spirit of man because he is also flesh, Genesis 6:3.
• The Spirit of God cannot commune or communicate with the spirit man in you when you choose to be more earthly than spiritual.
• Spiritual growth refers to the ongoing process every born-again new creature in Christ must undergo to develop and deepen your spiritual understanding, character, and connection with the Spirit of God, and with others to align your soul’s purpose with the Spirit of God and His purpose and plan for you in the earth.
• Spiritual growth is spiritual transformation, virtues, and ethical living.
• Spiritual growth is a continuous journeying process of growth influenced by spiritual teachings, studying, practices, fellowship, personal encounters, and experiences with the Spirit of God’s Way and method to bring us into TOTAL reconciliation with Him.
• Spirituality in Christ will cause one to hunger and thirst for His righteousness.
St Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.
• Spiritual growth is your individual and personal journey toward your return and alignment of your spirit being with the Spirit of God and His spiritual moral and values for you in earth.
• While spiritual enlightenment is the heightening of your state of spirituality that results from the consistent awakening and inward work for your soul’s Salvation to conform to God’s Will and purpose in you in earth.
• Being spiritually enlightened comes to set us up spiritually to open our inwardness to the Spirit of God to accept Him and His Will in the earth for His glory and honor in the earth.

Amen

Wednesday, June 12, 2024, Apostle Tracey Robinson